Summer Feast Our FREE quarterly newsletter 01473 786610 www.suffolkfoodhall.co.uk
FRESH FROM THE BAKERY Lee tells us what it is like being a baker at the Food Hall. Put simply, although it’s anything but, we work through the following; ovens and prover on, prove rested doughs, work up the breads for the day, display out, regroup, prep for tomorrow and clear down!
For a bakery we start quite late, usually just after 5am, so that the product is freshest and you have a bit of theatre. It’s good to talk to customers directly and for you to get an insight into what we actually do! Of course, with that late start brings the challenge of having most ready by 9am. Not just the display in the Food Hall but any customer orders and stock for the Café and Cookhouse too. With scratch baking and a limited amount of prep from the day before, we really do have to get a wriggle on. If a batch is mis-timed, the schedule doesn’t allow for much adjustment. As elsewhere in the Food Hall, we are always looking for something to set us apart. Originally our bakery has been about volume and pace, but those days are a thing of the past. I am proud that we make everything by hand, from scratch, using some great quality local flour. The process is slower to allow flavours and textures to develop; our sourdough especially, it highlights what makes us different. Hopefully it’s obvious but worth mentioning that simple, to us, means no added colours, preservatives, emulsifiers and many more things that you would have with the average mass produced loaf in the name of high speed, low labour production. Our breads have flour, water, salt and yeast, some with a little oil, one or two with a little sugar. That’s it. And that’s the idea. It keeps it simple but prepared with care and attention. A bit cliché perhaps but it is our goal.
Inspired to have a go at home? Here are 5 top tips: 1. Be prepared to knead it thoroughly. If you don’t have a machine then expect to have aching arms, wrists & hands. A dough should be smooth, soft & elastic. 2. Don’t be alarmed if some doughs appear rather wet in the early stages. Wetter is often better and will firm up with a little working. Or if not, persevere despite the inevitable sticky mess! 3. Take your time. I often double prove, which actually works the dough a little for you but also develops that structure and flavour. Proving overnight in the fridge or a cool place can work well. 4. Learning when to put in the oven makes a big difference, under or over proved can ruin all your hard work. If you lightly press the dough it should not have much spring back, but don’t go too far or you dough will collapse. 5. Have the oven super hot and use a bread stone if possible as this stores the heat and will give your dough a good initial spring. A tray of water in the bottom also helps as the steam keeps the outside of the bread from drying and limiting the rise. Lee Goldsmith, Baker
Look out for Local Summer is here and with it comes lots of exciting seasonal produce. Sam picks out some of his favourites. Warm weather and Wimbledon triggers the desire for soft fruit. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and gooseberries, all local and surely emblematic of the season. Their prime is fleeting; they don’t store well fresh and require that critical balance of sunshine and frequent, but not heavy, rainfall to ripen perfectly and develop their characteristic sharp and sweet flavours. The relatively dry, sunny climate of Suffolk and Essex is perfect for berries. The Food Hall is well placed between two great locations for soft fruit, Ardleigh and Newbourne. It strikes me every year just how different locally sourced soft fruits are to the mass produced varieties you find in supermarkets. These differences are possibly the starkest of any fruit or vegetable I can think of. It is incredible how much sweeter, riper and, quite often, larger locally grown berries are than any synthetic looking strawberry you will find in the multiple retailers, having been grown intensely elsewhere and shipped around the UK or worse, the world. Personally, the appeal of berries for me is in their simplicity. Of course they are versatile. They make delicious tarts, cheesecakes, ice creams, syllabubs and all manner of other deserts, however there is nothing quite like the perfection of biting into a perfectly ripe strawberry whilst lounging around on a hot summer’s day. An adornment of cream and potentially some crushed meringues add just the right amount of lazy flare for an easy pudding, whilst still keeping the berries as the stars of the show. When in season, berries should be ripe, local, fresh and, without a doubt, centre stage. Sam Woor, Student + part time Grocer
From the Fishmonger
As the summer swings, the best bit for me is the return of my favourite product; fresh, dressed Cromer Crabs! They come direct after being cooked and dressed at source. It’s a lovely no mess, no fuss treat that’s ready to enjoy as soon as you go through the tills! Perfect solo or as part of a picnic, but also amazing to make simple dishes such as a linguine. As with all of our products, supporting the local network and promoting low food miles really makes these fly out of our counter. That said, it’s the flavour which makes us sell out every week! Even better, they are my mum’s favourite so are a great way to put a smile on her face too! Mikey Whittle, Fishmoner
A tasting treat with Beer&Co Suffolk Food Hall is proud of its award winning food and drink, and we love creating unique experiences for our customers. Hence we are very excited to announce that we are teaming-up with local company Beer&Co to bring you special tasting sessions. Beer&Co has made a name for itself by creating new and exciting events in Suffolk. Business owner Greg Cooper says “we have been chuffed to bits with the support we’ve received for our events, and always felt that we could find a new audience with the combination of sociable tastings, experts in the field, and in unique venues.” Beer&Co is only two years old. It started big with a series of Beer Festivals based on a passion for craft beer and has evolved to offer more intimate and regular tasting sessions. The ‘secret’ beer and gin clubs are attracting ever increasing audiences and Greg has plans to develop the business further. “We are planning to take our ‘Secret Tastings’ concept further across the region and develop more fun including cocktail making.” Suffolk Food Hall is really looking forward to running some new and unique events in partnership with Beer&Co, starting with a ‘Cocktail Feast’ on Friday 17th August, which will be part of the Ipswich Maritime Secret Gin Sessions. Ticket holders will be treated to four gin cocktails prepared on-site by mixologists Franklin & Sons for only £25. There will be a hands-on opportunity to create your own cocktail as part of this unique event and for a further £20, enjoy a specially matched three course dinner in The Cookhouse restaurant. We are also really pleased to confirm that Beer&Co will be back for Tractor Fair 2018 on Saturday 25th August, following fantastic feedback from last year’s event, and again offering outstanding craft beer from the region’s up and coming micro-breweries plus a specialist gin bar. You are sure to be offered a free taster or two! For more information on the ‘Cocktail Feast’ please visit our events listing: www.suffolkfoodhall.co.uk/events
www.beerandco.uk
Out in the Garden After what feels like the longest winter ever, it’s time to embrace the summer. With our temperamental climate it is even more important to make the most of any and every beautiful sunny day, be it breakfast on the patio, lunch in the garden, or an evening BBQ with family and friends. Or for me, sitting and watching the stars. One of our firm favourites here is the Kadai; beautifully handcrafted, it doubles up as a BBQ and a firepit. Choose from an extensive collection of accessories to really get the most out of the Kadai, use it for paella, as a pizza oven or to roast. For that lovely outdoor feel, grab some marshmallows and a toasting fork, the sheer versatility of the Kadai and its accessories means so many more options to outdoor dining. With an array of food options, all that’s left is somewhere to sit. The Barlow Tyrie range of furniture is the highest grade teak, meaning next to no maintenance and none of the kerfuffle of moving in and out with the seasons, it can happily sit outside all year just in case there is a surprise day of sunshine in late autumn or early winter. The range accomodates groups of different sizes, depending on just how much you like to host and entertain, and can be personalised for “one of a kind” furniture. If teak is not for you, we have tea sets that will sit beautifully within a garden and colour schemes that can draw together different parts and pieces of your garden. Of course if you are looking for something a little different, take home a hammock and get horizontal. Alternatively just make the most of the garden space you have. The majority of our plants are grown locally which means they should continue to thrive in your garden and, of course, we can offer help and advice on anything and everything. My own suggestion is to surround yourself with colourful shrubs and perennials, keeping the scents close to windows, doors or where I am likely to spend the most time. My top tip is to have some mint around too, it’s a great way of deterring mosquitos which can ruin an afternoon outside. Mel Spurling, Flower Girl
Always bee nice
Why Wendy loves bees and
I’ve always loved bees. A balmy June day without the delivious hum of busy, pollen-laden insects on our amethyst haze of fragrant lavendar just wouldn’t be summer. As a child, I remember my grandfather telling me how important it was to look after the bees because they were busy pollinating his vegetables. With a family of fourteen to feed this was very important! I hope I have helped our little friends in my own way. I’ve scooped them out of swimming pools; gently tried to guide them to a window opening when they really would like to continue bumping the glass; I’ve allowed them to create a nest in a disused chimney breast even though the wax seeped through the wall and when I’ve had a swarm I’ve enlisted those lovely people at the BBKA to move them to a new hive. My reward? Amazing fruits and vegetables, delicious soothing honey, beautiful beeswax candles and no end of gorgeous skincare products. Beefayre is a company inspired by nature and the plight of the honeybee. The beautiful botanical designs, by artist and founder Sharon Jervis, aim to connect people of all ages with nature. Since launching in 2012, Beefayre has enjoyed huge success with their range of Natural Plant Wax Candles, Diffusers and Body & Bath products. With Beefayre’s passion for conservation and helping the bees, a percentage of the company profits goes back into bee conservation research and conservation projects here in the UK. Each year they giveaway thousands of ‘Seeds for Bees’ to encourage people to create bee friendly environments. Their products are all made in England and use natural, sustainably sourced ingredients. There are no petroleum ingredients, parabens, sulphates, artificial colours or foaming agents. Using recycled glass, all their packaging is sustainable and low impact.
some fantastic bee-powered products I took on B Chocolates in 2016 after making the life changing decision to leave my work of 37 years in the public sector and start a new venture. All our chocolates are made in a tiny unit at High House Farm in Sudbourne. We make our caramel by hand and hand cut each one before covering them in good quality French couverture using our small chocolate enrobing machine. Our Honey Truffles and Honeycomb Thins are all handmade and dipped. I am passionate about honey and love the variety we get. Each batch tells a story of where bees have been foraging and flavours vary from floral, to spicy, to almondy and creamy. I love incorporating that difference in batches of caramels and truffles. We get as much locally as possible so we know the producers and can trace the food to its origins. Being on the fruit farm, there’s nothing nicer than picking loganberries or blackcurrants for truffles whilst looking at the wonderful view over Orford Ness and out to sea. The bees are a welcome presence on the fruit farm playing a crucial role in pollination of the fruit and on a sunny day, bees will be flying outside our chocolate unit windows drawn by the smell of caramelising honey. Anne McCreadie, Owner B Chocolates is a Producer Member of the Guild of Fine Food. It won two Great Taste awards in 2017 for the Honeycomb Thins and Honey & Gingerbread truffles. Let’s all be mindful of our bees this Summer and take part in the Great British Bee count 2018, which runs from the 17th May - 30th June. Check out the Friends of the Earth website for more details and look out for all the ways we can help our buzzy little friends this Summer! Wendy Stevenson, Buyer
It’s that time of the year, my favourite time, the sun is here, ice creams are a must and the BBQ has been retrieved from the shed. Summer season is upon us, and that means one thing.... #BIGONBBQ. We’ve got some inspiration to help you along the way.. Johnjoe, Butcher
Rolls
Kebabs
a stick. A BBQ hit with taste, on ilk Choose from butterm chicken, mustard & lemon kofte chicken, Turkish or lamb
What’s your perfect burger?
Our Bakers make ro lls from scratch every single day! Wit h our mix and match offers, pick wh atever you like best. For the BBQ se ason finger rolls and light brioche bu ns will be one of the first out of the oven .
Venison Burger
Lean, mean and a re al treat. From our own estate at Broxtead.
Sausages
Made fresh and hand tied. Choose from our breakfast sausage, the Jones which is my personal favourite on a BBQ, or the guest flavours we have; be it Marmite and Cheddar, Beef and Chilli or Venison.
Beef Burger
Our beef burger is made using our own Red Poll X Aberdeen Angus herd
When it comes to burgers, everyone has their own way of putting together
the ultimate creation. Here’s our version...
ood Hall Suffolk F un b e brioch A couple of rashers of smoked streaky Fresh slice of lettuce from the Greengrocer
Slice (or couple) of Oak Smoked Truckle cheddar cheese
A dollop of Stoke ’s tomato ketchup
Hall Suffolk Food deen er Ab Red Poll x burger ef be s gu An
Created a masterpiece using our burgers? Tag us on social media and we will repost the best!
Top 5 BBQ cheeses Jarlsberg
Best for melting on top of a big juicy be ef burger with its nutty flavour and buttery texture.
Red Storm
A creamy melt in the mouth taste with a small amount of heat. On a burger for a beautiful match with beef, or even in a cauliflower cheese as one of your sides.
Oak smoked Truckle cheddar
Gorgonzola
Chevre Buche
A Food Hall best seller. Served in pots, Having a burger, look Gorgonzola gives every no further. Blended with blue cheese fan the the rich creamy taste of bite they want for their Vintage Truckle Cheddar, burgers, or even caked smoked to perfection to on a fresh piece add a true BBQ vibe of baguette
One of the best cheeses for cooking, a hit for goats cheese fans. A gorgeous flavour, perfect to melt with aubergine and pepper skewers, giving them an extra boost. Harry, Delicatessen
Have a Kadai and need some recipe inspiration? Here’s a Pork Chop recipe from the creators themselves.
Pork chops with ginger and soy marinade Ingredients
5 tbsp of soy sauce 4 pork chops 5 tbsp of olive oil 3 tbsp light brown sugar 1 spring onion finely chopped seasoning to taste
Method
1. Mix soy sauce, olive oil, ginger, sugar, onion and half a tsp of brown sugar 2. Using half of this sauce marinade the pork chops for at least 45 mins 3. Heat up 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over a medium - hot Kadai 4. Seal the chops for 2 minutes on each side, then move the skillet to the edge of the Kadai grill for a less intense heat. 5. Cook for a further 4 minutes more and lay on a board to rest 6. Thicken up the remaining sauce on the skillet for a minute or so, then pour over the chops 7. Serve with rice and greens
Need a cocktail with that? The Gin Lord gives us his take on the Bramble Gin Cocktail
www.theginlord.com
A perfect summer dessert cocktail, goes best with Carpenter’s Gin (but other gins are perfectly suitable). The Gin Lord recommends using Creme de Cassis, (a blackcurrant liquer) and fresh blackberries from the Food Hall. Simply just mix 50ml of Carpenter’s Gin with a little Creme de Cassis, a drop of syrup water and add some fresh blackberries and finish over ice.
Need items for your weekend BBQ, have no fear, you can place orders with us online or via phone, ready to collect, or pop in and see us, we’re open 7 days a week. 01473 786610 www.suffolkfoodhall.co.uk
Looking Forward quiz Night Friday 15th June
Suffolk Day Thursday 21st June
quiz night Friday 10th August
Tractor Fair Saturday 25th August
Cocktail Feast Friday 17th August Father’s Day Sunday 17th June
New Puzzle Room Friday 13th July
01473 786610 www.suffolkfoodhall.co.uk